


All for Naught

by valda



Series: The Deaths of Supreme Leader Snoke [9]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Character Death, Heartbreak, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Past Snoke/Maz Kanata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-07 20:38:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12849051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valda/pseuds/valda
Summary: Supreme Leader Snoke calls an old flame in hopes of winning her back. Hux and Ren happen to overhear.





	All for Naught

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to Tumblr [here](http://cosleia.tumblr.com/post/167852735883/death-by-broken-heart-a-la-padm%C3%A9-amidala) in response to a Snoke death prompt. Anonymous asked: Death by broken heart a la Padmé Amidala
> 
> Rejected title: Maz Kanata Reject Me This Time!

Armitage Hux was the type of leader who liked to know things. He didn’t micromanage, per se…he just dipped in now and then, checked on his people, made sure everything was running smoothly. There was rarely any problem that required his personal attention; it was gratifying to see all the systems he’d put in place working the way he’d designed.

It was at the end of an otherwise routine day when he noticed it. He’d drained the last of his glass of brandy, and Kylo had paraded around in front of him in nothing but his underwear for the fifth time, which usually signaled he was about to lose his patience and physically escort Armitage to bed. Just one last check, and he’d close down his datapad—

“What’s this?” Armitage murmured. (Kylo threw himself into an armchair across the room with a massive sigh.) It was an odd signal, heavily encrypted and going out on a command-level channel. It wasn’t hidden in any way, and the signal was incredibly strong, a hyperspace transmission. Sure enough, a quick look at the security logs revealed that it was being tracked—his people had noticed it immediately.

A spy would surely not be this foolish…unless they were desperate, had vital information, and did not expect to survive. Armitage called security. “Have you broken the code yet?”

“Actually, sir, we were about to call and ask if it was you,” came the response. “Perhaps it’s Ren?”

Armitage glanced over to where Kylo was grumpily picking at his fingernails. “It’s not Ren,” he said. “Why?”

“Not only is it on a command-level channel, but whoever it is used a security override.”

“That’s impossible,” Armitage said, then corrected himself, “or, well, obviously not. Could they be spoofing our access?”

“They’d have to be  _really_  good,” the security tech said. “We’re not detecting anything out of the ordinary.”

“Crack it,” Armitage said, “and put the transmission through directly to my datapad. If it’s somehow legitimate, it’s not for public access. If it’s not legitimate, I’ll alert you.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kylo glanced up as the call cut out. “Really?” he said. “Surely this is nothing.”

“You can go to bed without me, you know.”

“No I can’t.”

Armitage couldn’t help a small smile at Kylo’s petulant look. “Fine. Just give me one moment more—”

A very familiar voice cut Armitage off. “Surely you must realize my power.”

“Supreme Leader!” Armitage said. “Yes, of course.” But Snoke was still talking;  _he_  was the one making the encrypted transmission.

“My First Order has virtually  _limitless_  resources. Millions of soldiers at my command. An incredible fleet of ships. My own flagship—well, I can’t reveal much about it now, but it is called the  _Supremacy_  for a reason.”

Kylo had stood from the armchair and crossed the room to Armitage’s desk. As Leader Snoke paused, Kylo exchanged a look with Armitage. But whoever was on the other end didn’t answer.

“Why isn’t there video?” Armitage murmured.

“We should turn this off,” Kylo said.

“My new acolyte saw the wisdom of leaving the blind devotion to the Light and committing himself to something greater,” Snoke was saying. “Something more true.” His voice became so uncharacteristically soft that it was almost unrecognizable. “You sought that wisdom, once.”

“I sought power,” said the person on the other end, and Armitage looked at Kylo again. Kylo shrugged; neither of them recognized the voice. “I am no longer deceived.”

“The truth,” Snoke said, “is hardly a deception, as you will soon see. Return to me now, and taste the fruits of victory at my side.”

“I never loved you,” the other person said bluntly. “I sought to destroy you, even as I sought your teachings. I have come to realize it is not my task to do so; the Force has shown that my time is past, as is yours. We will both be eclipsed, for the betterment of the entire galaxy.”

“Maz,” Snoke said, and it sounded like he was in pain.

“ _I never loved you_. Do as you will, and leave me in peace. You are finished, and nothing you can say will change that.”

There was a brief crackle of static. Then there came an odd, weak, strained groan. A clattering noise indicated one of them had dropped their comlink.

“What’s happening?” Armitage asked rhetorically. “Is he killing them?”

“No,” Kylo said, and the certainty in his voice made Armitage look up. “He’s…Hux, I think he’s  _dying_.”

“What?” Armitage asked with alarm, leaping up from his desk.

“He’s—he’s lost the will to live,” Kylo said. His eyes were shut tight in concentration. “It’s no use. I can’t save him.”

“He’s  _lost the will to live_?” Armitage stared at Kylo, then at his datapad, then at Kylo again.

“It’s—his heart has literally broken.”

The rasping breaths from the encrypted transmission slowed, then ended with a long, creaking sigh. Kylo opened his eyes and shook his head.

“I never knew the old fool even had a heart,” Armitage said. Then he clapped a hand over his mouth. Kylo sucked in a breath, then let it out. “I’m sorry,” Armitage said quickly. “I—often disagreed with Supreme Leader—”

“I know,” Kylo said. “Even I questioned his guidance. My commitment to him was not strong enough. Perhaps that is because he was not worthy of it.” He circled Armitage’s desk and knelt on the floor at his feet. “You will be supreme leader now,” he said, and Armitage nodded. “And you will not be so weak as to be slain by an emotion.”

Armitage’s heart thudded in his chest. He licked his lips. “Of course not,” he said, gazing down at Kylo.

Of course Armitage would not die of a broken heart. He had Kylo. Kylo was his. Kylo would never leave him.

Armitage smiled, ignoring the odd fluttering of his stomach. “I believe,” he said, sliding a hand back through Kylo’s hair, “you wanted to take me to bed?”


End file.
